The activity of the fragmented nucleus of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9

We investigated whether SL9ʹs fragmented nuclei continued to supply dust particles to their comae after the fragmentation, in early July 1992. To solve the problem, we make a “burst model coma” which is not supplied with dust particles from the nuclei, and compare the nature of the model with observational results. st, we simulate the appearance of the burst model coma. The form of the burst model coma is not spherical, but very elongated, though SL9ʹs fragmented nuclei had spherical comae. Furthermore, we calculate the varying of magnitude of the model coma. It is found that the magnitude measured by observation is very much brighter than the burst model coma. Since the characteristics of the burst model do not agree with the observations, SL9ʹs fragmented nuclei supply dust particles to their comae. sidering the size distributions in comae, we calculate the colours of the model coma. The particle size distribution in SL9ʹs coma is gentler than s−2 ds, comet Halleyʹs particle size distribution. Some of SL9ʹs particles would be produced by unusual means (i.e. refragmentation).